After leaving the almost paradise of Chinati Hotsprings I took some time to dawdle amongst the cherubim, ghosts and dust of Ruidosa, Texas (not to be confused with Ruidosa, New Mexico).
The village (pop 43 in 2000) seems proud of its ghost town status. An impressive wrought iron sign at a right angle turn in the road leaves the passerby in no doubt as to where they are.
Beneath the sign, a crumbling adobe church with a very long name: El Corazon Sagrado de la Iglesia de Jesus (the Sacred Heart of the Church of Jesus) is semi fenced off like the caged wolves of Lobo, and hung about with a very big, shiny, vinyl banner listing a website and asking for donations to help restore the building.
Outside of the fenced church area a number of free range carved wooden children play hide and seek at ankle level.
Alongside the resonant earth tones of the church restoration project and cherubim playground, is a recent banana yellow bottle wall repair which jars the senses a bit, even as it is a thing of beauty in its own right.
Another thing of beauty caught my eye: a gate into a walled garden, decorated with brand marks.
Not far away, I found a sign painted on what looked to once have been the the bonnet (hood) of a truck.
Those cherubim definitely need some schooling. Or spelling lessons, at least.
